


A bet's a bet

by Denois



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Panic Attack, Reconciling, allusions to underage non con, implications of non con, its in the past and not really described, past homophobia, suspected homophobia, suspected racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 02:02:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16944864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denois/pseuds/Denois
Summary: Nursey thinks he's figured out the perfect way to find out if Dex might like him, he'll just make it the terms of their bet about getting the first goal. Unfortunately, the best laid plans of mice and men and d-men aft gang agley.Dex knew he was giving up winning the bet when he passed the puck to Nursey, but he hadn't expected the night to end with a panic attack and coming out to Chowder.Are too many lines crossed, or can a good night's sleep and a bottle of teal hair dye mend what is broken and bring Nursey and Dex closer together?





	A bet's a bet

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Theo, [B_Frizzy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/b_frizzy), and [Lukutoukka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lukutoukka) for beta reading.
> 
> When writing this, I referred to it as "the dark fic" because it explores some dark themes and backstories. It's not the darkest out there, it's possibly not the darkest thing I'll ever write. 
> 
> There is a description of a panic attack after Dex leaves the room he was sharing with Nursey. It includes some vivid metaphors to describe pain. It only lasts a few paragraphs and when Ransom shows up, is the tail end when he's coming out of it, if you want to skip that part.

“Come on man. A bet’s a bet. You shook on it and you lost.” Nursey’s grin was insufferable. He rubbed at the stubble on his jaw while pretending to think. “Now I’ve just gotta figure out what I’m going to claim as my winnings.”

Dex glared at him before pushing past to get to the tiny hotel bathroom. “Like I even have anything you’d want.”

“Oh Dexy, I’m not going to take your _things_.” Nursey had followed Dex and was leaning against the doorframe, grin still splitting his face. 

Dex shut the door in his face. He glared at his reflection as he brushed his teeth with more force than strictly necessary. He still couldn’t believe it. 

First, he’d expected them both to have a goal far earlier in the season. Second, he’d gotten the assist on the goal that made Nursey win the bet. 

He’d had the damn puck on his tape and could have taken the shot. He knew his skills, there was a good chance it would have gone in. But Ransom had been mentoring him and just gave him a speech two days before about trusting your line partner and working with him. 

Dex had a decent shot. Nurse had a better one. And it was a chance to show the coaches that they could work together for the good of the team. So, it had taken him less than a second to send the puck flying to Nursey and watch him bury it, glove side. 

And it was beautiful. Until they’d gotten to the hotel and Nursey started talking about how he won the bet they’d made. 

And this was exactly the kind of shit that made him hate rich pretty boys like Nursey. They were invariably sore winners. 

Dex stopped growling at himself in the mirror and splashed some water on his face. Nursey had said that he didn’t want his things, which of course not, why would he? So, he was probably trying to think of some sort of public humiliation. 

As if Dex didn’t live every day humiliated. 

He almost expected Nursey to still be propped up outside the door when he opened it, but he was sitting on one of the beds flipping through some book.

He was quiet while Dex got ready for bed and pulled out his laptop to work on homework while Nursey read. See, Coach, they really were getting used to each other’s routines and working together.

It was fine. For about five minutes. Until Nursey turned a page and cleared his throat.

“I think I’ve made my decision. A blow job should do nicely.”

Dex’s eyes cut over sharply, but Nursey was still focused on his book. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“For that goal. It was mad chill. Worthy of a blow job. So, that’s what I won on our bet.” Nursey’s eyes were still trained on his book, but the corners of his mouth curled up.

Dex stared at him, unblinking, listening to his heart pound in his head. 

Finally, after what felt like hours but was probably less than a minute, he closed his laptop and stood up, clutching it tightly to try to keep from shaking. 

“I don’t know how you found out, but no. I don’t care who you tell or what you do. Get me kicked off the team and out of school. I’m not going through that again.” Dex managed to keep his voice from breaking, though it came out in a low hiss.

For the first time since Dex exited the bathroom, Nursey looked up at him. “Bro, what-“

“I don’t care. Fuck my future over. Beat the shit out of me. I don’t care. You all talk a good game about inclusivity and acceptance. But no. Deep down, you’re just like the assholes back home.” Dex turned on his heel and exited the room. 

Once he was in the hall, he weighed his options. 

He could try rooming with Chowder. Chris would let him stay over, but he’d have to say that he’d had a fight with Nursey which would both upset Chowder and make the cause known. 

He could go hang out on the uncomfortable couches in the lobby and act like he just really wanted to work on homework all night.

He could go to Lardo’s room and tell her to never have him and Nursey room together again and have her shuffle him somewhere else for the night. 

The problem was, all these thoughts hit him at once and he couldn’t focus on any of them long enough to consider if they made sense. So, he found himself by the ice machine, sitting pressed into a corner and staring into space while his brain flipped through worst case scenarios and a few flashbacks to high school. He felt himself pull further and further back inside the shell of his body, pinned in place by the crowbar that had slid between his ribs and around his heart, pulling it inexorably from him. 

He wasn’t sure when Ransom arrived, but his smooth voice washed over the tumbling thoughts. “Hey, bro. Focus on my counting and breathe with me, ok? In, one, two, three. Out, one, two, three.” 

Dex rolled his eyes towards Rans’s voice and tried to focus only on the counting and breathing. They were up to counts of seven before Dex’s eyes fully focused and he had the thoughts shoved back in their box.

“Thanks.” His voice was rough and he coughed.

“Do you want me to get someone? You’re rooming with Nursey right?”

Dex’s eyes widened and his breath hitched.

“Ok. Ok. Not him. What about Chowder? Is Chowder ok?” Ransom’s hand was hovering over his shoulder. Dex understood. Ransom couldn’t take touch when he was coral reefing, but Dex was past that stage and could really use some contact, so he leaned into it.

“Yeah. Chowder’s…. that’s good.” Dex closed his eyes and let his head drop back against the wall. 

“Ok. He’s across the hall from Holster and me. Do you need help getting down there?” Ransom rolled to his feet and then extended his hand for Dex’s laptop. 

Once Dex was on his feet and mostly steady, they headed back down the hall. Ransom made sure Dex was ok with Chowder before keying himself into his own room. He thought he heard Ransom yelling before the two doors swung closed, but Chowder led him over to the bed before he made sense of it.

“Are you ok? Can I hug you? Do you need anything?” Chowder was practically vibrating in front of him, making several aborted motions to wrap him in a hug.

“Hugs are great, especially Chowder hugs. They’re the best.” Dex smiled up at Chris tiredly. “I’ll be ok. And a place to sleep but otherwise, I don’t need anything.”

As soon as he indicated a hug would be appreciated, Dex was wrapped in goalie. 

“Did you and Nursey have a fight? You were doing so well together.” Chowder’s voice was full of disappointment and Dex sighed.

“It’s complicated. I guess I should start by telling you that I’m gay.” Dex paused, frozen, waiting for Chowder’s reaction.

Chowder kept hugging Dex with no change, except possibly to tighten his grip momentarily. “Thank you for telling me. That’s swawesome.”

Dex barked out a humorless laugh. “Not always. Not for me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I didn’t want a repeat of high school. But whatever. Nursey found out and he’s probably going to get me kicked off the team. So, there’s no reason for me to hide it anymore.”

Chowder finally pulled away and looked at Dex with doubt etched on his face. “First, Nursey wouldn’t do that. Second, even if he would, being gay won’t get you kicked off the team or even ostracized or anything. Look at Bitty. He’s practically been the center of the team since he got here and no one thinks he shouldn’t be on the team because he’s gay.”

“Yeah, but he’s Bitty! People love him. I’m Dex. Tolerated at the best of times. Except by you, because you’re the best friend a guy could have.” Dex gave a small smile. Chowder really was the best friend he could ever ask for. Better than he deserved. Even if the teal was all a bit overwhelming. “Nursey’s rich. People like that, that have power over the world, they don’t take no for an answer. But he’s not Robby and he can’t hurt my family, just me. So I’m not going to cave this time.”

“Ok. You lost me. Who's Robby? Why would Nursey hurt you or your family?”

“I don’t- I can’t-.” Dex fisted his hands in his hair in frustration. “I thought he was different but it’s all the same. It’s just like last year.” 

Dex pulled his feet up on the bed so he could press his head against his knees and focused on counting his breaths. He couldn’t afford to spiral again yet. A small part of his brain was insisting that it wasn’t the same as last year. That Nick was gone to school in Michigan and he hadn’t had another boyfriend since, so no one caught them together again. That Nursey had never threatened his mom’s job. That even if the Nurses were the biggest donors to the Samwell athletic department, like the Caulfields had been to his high school, that the coaches wouldn’t cut a team member for being gay. That Nursey had never threatened him at all before this. 

But the loud part of his brain was focused on remembering Robby’s cruel sneer, his hissed threats, the sound of a zipper. So he tried to drown it out with numbers and Chowder’s voice. 

“Who’s Robby?” Chowder set a hand on Dex’s back, which helped ground him further.

“Robert Caulfield the Third. My d-line partner in high school. His dad, Robert Junior, owned the place where my Ma worked.” Dex wasn’t sure how clear his words were, since he was still talking to his knees, but he didn’t want to move. “He, uh, he caught me with Nick. My boyfriend. And he….” Dex trailed off. He didn’t want to put it into words. He’d never said it out loud before. But Chowder deserved the truth.

“Robby said that he’d have my ma fired, and get me kicked off the team. We couldn’t afford for my ma to lose her job and I couldn’t afford college without hockey.” Dex finally lifted his head. “So, I did what he told me to. Every time. For 5 months.” His breath hitched and he tried to make his fingers unclench from his legs. “I, uh, I don’t really want to talk about it. Not right now.”

“Ok. You wanna watch some tv?” Chowder held up the remote and wiggled it back and forth.

“Yeah. That sounds good.” 

“Pick out something good and I’m gonna go raid the vending machines.” The remote thudded down on the bed and Chowder was out the door before Dex could reply.

* * *

Chowder paused once he was alone in the hall and took a deep breath. He was pretty sure that he wasn’t equipped at all to deal with Dex’s admission. Not the gay thing. He grew up in San Francisco; he went to his first pride when he was 12. He was pretty sure more people had come out to him than had come out to Shitty. Chowder had dealing with the gay thing on lock. 

No, he was concerned about the other thing. He’d have to make sure Dex knew about the free mental health services available from the student health center. By the time he’d come to that decision, he was standing in front of the door to Nursey and Dex’s room. Just Nursey’s now, he supposed.

When he knocked on the door, it was Ransom who answered. Once he was inside, he realized Holster was there too.

Nursey looked away from Holster and seemed to latch onto Chowder. “What’s going on? Why did Dex start talking about me beating him up. Does he think I’m some kind of thug or something?” Nursey kept tensing and relaxing his muscles and Chowder sat down next to him to wrap an arm around him.

“He’s in my room and he’s going to stay there tonight. Tell me what happened.” 

Nursey shifted again, leaning into Chowder before replying. “Didn’t he already tell you?”

“Even if he had, I’d want to hear your side.”

Nursey nodded. “Right. So, we had a bet about who would get the first goal, and I got it tonight.”

Holster broke in, “Clutch shot, by the way.”

Chowder glared at Holster. This was not the time. “Go on.”

“But we didn’t really set the terms of the bet, so I told him….” Nursey trailed off, clearly trying to maintain his chill facade. “I mean, it was a joke. I didn’t mean anything by it. I don’t know why he went ballistic. I just said he should give me a blow job for winning the bet.”

Chowder closed his eyes and heard Ransom suck in a breath while Holster groaned. “You didn’t think about the fact that would sound like there was no room for consent?”

Chowder glanced around the room to see if everyone was on the same page. Ransom was glaring at Holster who was covering his face with his hands. Nursey was staring at Chowder with wide eyes. “What? There’s always room for consent. Why would he assume I’d just. Oh my god. What the fuck does he think of me?”

“People have different experiences and frames of reference, bro. And saying it was the stakes of a bet definitely makes it sound like there’s no room for consent.” Ransom was shaking his head. “I know you didn’t mean it that way. But like, if someone tried to squirrel out of laying up on a bet when the stakes were something else, you’d hound them about it. You checked in with Ollie every hour to make sure he was still wearing the tutu that one time.”

“I just thought worst case, the straight boy gets pissed, again, and yells at me and I tell him that it’s a joke and then say he has to temp dye his hair teal or something.” 

“Starting there might have been good. Why didn’t you?” 

Nursey met Chowder’s eyes at the question and then looked away. “Because I hoped. Like, maybe he’s not as straight as he seems, heteronormativity and all. Maybe he would actually be into it?” 

Chowder watched as Nursey’s eyes flicked towards Holster.

“Bro. This is not what I meant at all. Like, you offer a blow job for a goal or something. It has to be an offer from you to him.” Holster’s hands were pulling down the sides of his face now and it was really creepy looking so Chowder looked away.

“Holtzy, you are old enough to know that none of this was a good idea in any form, not even that.” Ransom paused. “Don’t look at me like that. Just because something worked for you does not mean it’s a good idea.”

Chowder held up a hand. “Let me get this straight. So, you think that Dex is probably straight, but just in case he’s into dudes in general and you in particular, you decided to suggest that he had to give you a blow job because you won a bet, and you did this because he-“ Chowder paused to motion towards Holster, “-told you to see how Dex reacted to being offered a blow job for getting a goal? But instead of agreeing, like you hoped was an actual possibility, really? Or throwing a homophobic fit, he got pissed because he thought you were going to beat him up? I don’t get that part. And then Ransom found him in the hall and brought him to my room.”

Nursey shrugged. “Yeah. Not my best laid plan. Still gang agley.” Nursey looked around and Chowder thought they must all have looked as confused as he felt, because he clarified. “Went awry. Like the poem? To a Mouse? The best laid plans of mice and men? And D-men.”

“We get it.” Holster cut in before Nursey could start reciting the entire poem.

“Why would he think you’d beat him up though?” Chowder twitched his lips in thought.

“Racism?” And Nursey must be feeling better because his chill was firmly in place with that glib comment.

“I don't know dude. He didn’t seem to think I was going to beat him up. Did he say anything else?” Ransom had finally sat down on the other bed.

“Uh, let’s see. He doesn’t care if I get him kicked off the team or out of school or if I fuck his future.”

“Maybe that stuff doesn’t have anything to do with you and he’s, like, projecting from being bullied as a kid.” Chowder tried to make it sound plausible. Dex had trusted him with sensitive information, and even if he didn’t fully understand all of what had happened, it wasn’t his place to tell anyone else as long as Dex wasn’t in immediate danger. But what was clear to Chowder was that Dex had not been really thinking of the Nursey that they knew and loved (Dex might have said tolerated, but Chowder knew better), but rather Robby. He wanted Nursey to know that Dex didn’t really, really think of him like that.

Chowder wrapped both arms around Nursey and squeezed. “In the morning, when he’s thinking clearer, I’m sure he’ll remember that you’re not that kind of person and everything can be worked out.”

Ransom reached over to squeeze Nursey’s shoulder. “And you gotta apologize, bro. I know you didn’t mean it, but impact versus intent and all.”

“Yeah. I will. It was a mistake, but I can own that. But if he really does think I’m like that…” Nursey trailed off and Chowder squeezed him again.

“He doesn’t. I’m sure of it. This will all work out. But, I do need to get back. I said I was going to the vending machines so he’s going to worry soon. And you know how grumpy he gets when he worries.”

Nursey nodded and patted his arm. “I’ll be ok. I’d actually like to be alone now anyway.”

“We got your back, bro. Text or come over if you need anything.” Holster pressed the flat of his fist against Nursey’s shoulder as they passed and all filed out of the room. 

* * *

  
When the door opened, Dex sat up and looked over, making sure it was Chowder. He’d been staring at the ceiling and trying to retain a sense of being to his body, so he was glad that Chris had returned.

“What did Nursey have to say?” Dex muted the tv and watched as Chowder dumped the armload of snacks on the bed.

“Um, what do you mean?” The thing to remember about Chowder was that he hated lying, but he could be really good at it when he tried. So the flimsy hedging meant he wasn’t really trying to cover it up. 

“It doesn’t take that long to go to the vending machine. Even to buy the whole thing out. Which, geez Chow, the coaches are going to kill us if they find out about this.” Dex punctuated the statement by grabbing a bag of peanut M&Ms. “I don’t mind that you went to see him, you know.”

Chowder opened a bag of skittles and started sorting them into colors. “Ransom and Holster were already there. He explained about the bet and what he said. He said that he expected you to get pissed and all ‘no homo’ over it and then he’d laugh it off and say the real stakes were for you to dye your hair teal. Temp dye even.”

Chowder started eating the green skittles as he talked. “I don’t think he knew you’re gay? I didn’t say anything. About anything you told me.”

Dex knocked his shoulder into Chowder’s. “I know. I knew I could trust you when I asked Rans to bring me here.”

They were silent for a few moments as Chowder finished the green skittles and moved on to the yellow ones. “You should probably talk to him in the morning. He’s a good guy and he wouldn’t have said that if he’d thought through how it sounded.”

“Probably.” 

“The campus health center has free mental health services. You could check them out sometime too”

“Probably.”

“Turn the sound back on. I’m tired of taking care of you. You don’t deserve me.”

“Probably.”

When Dex looked over at Chowder, he was grinning and Dex felt himself settle back into himself. He unmuted the tv and leaned back to watch Young Frankenstein. 

* * *

  
Dex woke up the next morning feeling much more rested than he expected. He suspected that might be in part because Chowder had made him into the little spoon at some point. He tried to extricate himself to get up and start getting ready, but for a thin, wiry guy, Chowder was really strong and tenacious. And a very heavy sleeper.

“Come on, Chow. Let me up.” He pried at Chowder’s fingers, trying to make headway on peeling an arm off. 

It took fifteen minutes of peeling, wiggling, and talking to get Chowder to release enough that he could slip off the bed and onto the floor. He took a few minutes on the floor to catch his breath. He needed to remember to warn that volleyball girl, Farmer. It looked like things were going well for the two of them and she deserved to have a plan in place. 

After getting dressed, he slipped out of the room and then away from the hotel. It was still early, too early for the team to meet up for breakfast, so he slipped out with no problems. His memory proved correct and he found a Rite Aid just over a block away. It wasn’t too hard to find the hair dye section, he’d picked up dyes for his ma in the past. Occasionally, they’d have the unnatural colors. 

Unfortunately, this one did not have any teal in a temp variety. The closest was a semi-permanent blue and he wasn’t willing to commit to that color for that long. Not when it wasn’t even the right color for the bet. He ran a hand over his face and sighed, waving at the cashier as he headed back to the hotel. 

By the time he got back, Lardo and Jack were in the breakfast area. He was about to join them when he heard his name hissed from a side hall. He turned cautiously, and found Nursey looking harrowed and quite unchill.

“Dex. Can I talk to you a moment? I can give you room. And if you don’t want to, it’s ok. I’ll just go back up to the room. That’s probably best.” Nursey looked like he was about to leave and Dex reached out and tapped his elbow. 

“It’s fine. I couldn’t get the teal dye yet. All Rite Aid had was semi permanent blue, so I’m going to have to find a better store or order it or something.”

Nursey stared at him like he was speaking a foreign language. Dex thought back over his words and was pretty sure they all made sense individually and together. 

“What?”

“The bet. Chowder said that your real terms were for me to dye my hair teal, with temp dye. I went to Rite Aid down the street so I could deliver on that, but they didn’t have teal. I thought blue might be close enough, but the type of blue dye they had would last two months even with my hair cuts. I thought you wouldn’t mind if I dyed my hair tomorrow instead.”

Nursey’s eyebrows lifted comically. “You don’t have to do that. I mean, you got the assist, so really you got it too. I wouldn’t have gotten the goal without you. I was just-“ Nursey stopped and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “I was just giving you a hard time and I didn’t think it through and now that I have, it was wrong and I never should have said it. I know you’re straight and it was a bonehead move to try to rile you because of that. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you for saying that. I know you didn’t mean it like that, it’s just a trigger for me. And I am going to dye my hair. You won the bet. I knew I was giving you the goal when I passed the puck.” Dex shrugged.

“Then why’d you pass?”

“Winning the game was more important than winning the bet. Look. I know you aren’t Robby. If we can just pretend last night didn’t happen, I’m good.”

Nursey’s brow furrowed and he mouthed “Robby” to himself. Dex winced, he hadn’t meant to say that. Instead he held out a fist and after a split second, Nursey bumped it. 

* * *

  
Nursey spent breakfast on his phone, googling Robby and Dex’s hometown. It wasn’t until he just pulled up Dex’s team roster from high school as a starting point that he realized he should probably be searching for Robert. The sneering face that matched the name reminded Nursey of his own former classmates at Andover.

Searching Robert Caulfield and Dex’s hometown brought up pages upon pages about Robert Sr., Robert Jr., and Robert III. From what he could tell, the Caulfields owned half of Dex’s town or more. The school hockey rink was even named after them. 

He was starting to get an idea of why Dex had talked about being thrown off the team if he was thinking of what Robert III would have done in that situation. They were on the bus, driving back to Samwell, before Nursey wondered why exactly Dex knew how Robert III would react to being turned down for a blowjob. All the explanations that he could think of made his stomach turn. 

Nursey made a mental note to be clear about consent. For everything. He was starting to suspect that Dex had been kind of railroaded into some of the team bonding things, and that should stop too. It was healthier for everyone to make sure consent was key. 

His phone chimed with an incoming text and he switched apps. 

DextersLab: I’m really sorry. I think it probably seemed like I was reacting that way because it was you.  
DextersLab: But, it wasn’t you. I know you’re not like that.  
DextersLab: And I already told Chowder, and you’re my other friend, so. I’ll tell you too.  
DextersLab: I didn’t freak out because I’m straight.  
DextersLab: I’m gay. 

Nursey stared at his phone. At first, he was shocked by the multiple texts rolling in. Dex barely liked to string two words together unless he had to. But then he’d just start rambling until someone stopped him, so Nursey supposed it made sense that he’d be a quintuple texter. 

But ultimately, his brain and eyes were frozen on the last text. 

Another text rolled in and snapped him out of it.

DextersLab: Do you want to go to Sally Beauty with me tomorrow for the dye?

His fingers paused over the screen for only a moment.

Me: Sure. And that’s chill. I’m bi, by the way.  
DextersLab: k. 

Nursey considered what he was about to do, but then took a deep breath and went for it.

Me: Do you want to get lunch tomorrow, too? Together.

The three dots were mocking him. He was sure of it.

DextersLab: I figured we’d eat while we were out.

Nursey was about to respond and clarify, or back down. Or something. But then another text popped up.

DextersLab: But from the way you asked, do you mean like a date?  
DextersLab: Because if so, yeah.

Nursey refrained from fist pumping. But only because it would really have blown his chill cover to celebrate getting a date while sitting next to the guy that had just agreed to go out with him.

**Author's Note:**

> Talk to me in the comments or on the Tumbls at [SexyDexyNurse](https://sexydexynurse.tumblr.com/)


End file.
